Ghana Link Network Services Ltd, operators of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), has debunked recent media reports alleging that all scanners at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) Cargo Village are non-functional, forcing authorities to rely solely on sniffer dogs to detect narcotics and other contraband.
A statement released by Norvan Acquah-Hayford, Head of Public Relations at Ghana Link, described the claims as “entirely false, misleading, and damaging to the integrity of Ghana’s border security systems.”
Functional
According to Ghana Link, there are currently five fully operational scanners deployed at the KIA Cargo Village. These include four export scanners and one import scanner. The export scanners are operated by Swissport, the Air Ghana Cargo Processing Centre (AGCPC), and Aviance, and are all Smiths Heimann 180180 2is and 2is PRO models manufactured in France. The import scanner is a Rapiscan Eagle A25, located at the KIA Cargo Section. It is manufactured by Rapiscan Systems of the United States and is one of only three such scanners in Africa.
Ghana Link further emphasised that these scanners were high-performance, state-of-the-art systems and are functioning optimally.
The company explained that all cargo arriving at KIA was moved from the tarmac to the scanners for mandatory inspection before being cleared by Customs. It noted that export goods also go through rigorous customs documentation and scanning processes before being sent to a secure biometric warehouse and eventually emplaned.
Measures
Sniffer dogs, according to the statement, were used occasionally by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) as an additional security layer based on specific intelligence. Ghana Link stated that NACOC deployed sniffer dogs after receiving credible intelligence, even before the goods reached the scanning area.
Ghana Link expressed concern that the false reports could erode public confidence in Ghana’s port and border security systems. The company cautioned that such misinformation could attract undue attention from international stakeholders in trade, aviation, and security, while unfairly damaging the reputation of institutions that had invested heavily in securing the country’s entry points.
The company noted that if the scanners were indeed non-functional, the repercussions would had included significant delays, increased demurrage costs, and risks to perishable cargo, all of which would have drawn immediate complaints from freight forwarders and customs agents.
Retraction
The company urged the media outlets that published the inaccurate reports to issue corrections and retractions. It reiterated that the scanning systems at KIA and other entry/exit points served as the first line of defense against illegal goods and were subject to strict maintenance and monitoring protocols in line with international standards.
The statement reaffirmed the company’s commitment to collaborating with the state and its security agencies. It, however, called for truth and accountability in public communication, stressing that such efforts must not be undermined by misrepresentation.
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